Interconnected vehicle rear window and seat for movement in unison



Sept. 11, 1956 R. w. HUZZARD 2,762,648 INTERCONNECTED VEHICLE REAR wmoow AND SEAT FOR MOVEMENT IN UNISON Original Filed April 5, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

FaZe/Z 14/ flzzzzard Sept. 11, 1956 R. w. HUZZARD 2,762,648

'INTERCONNECTED VEHICLE REAR WINDOW AND SEAT FOR MOVEMENT IN UNISON Original Filed April 5, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 11, 1956 R. w. HUZZARD 2,762,643

INTERCONNECTED VEHICLE REAR WINDOW AND SEAT IN UNISON FOR MOVEMENT 52 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed April 5, l9

INVENTOR. 75%721 14 flzzzzari pivotally supported by fixed brackets 18 secured to the Vehicle body A.

Forward of the window-tray combination or unit is a seat 19 which may be conventional and maycomprise either the rear seat of a sedan or tudor type automobile or the drivers seat of a coupe type automobile; A seat back 20 extends upwardfrom the rear edge of the seat 19 lowered position below the overhang 21, as described y below, Figs. 3 and 4, the back 20 is hinged at 22 adjacent its lower edge and the rear edge of the seat 19.

From the'foregoing it will be seen that the window panel in'the raised or closed'position, Fig. 2, cooperates with the'lateral window panels 14 to close the entire rear window area. Likewise, the package tray 15 in cooperation with'the lateral tray portions 16 completely fills the substantially horizontal area between the shaft 17 and upper portion of the seat back 20, comprising both a' "continuous package tray between the back 20 and window 10 and also a shield to conceal the window operating mechanism located in the forward portion of the 'vehicle luggage compartment 23. Upon forward and downward pivoting of the window 10 and brackets 13 about the axis of the shaft 17, the tray 15, also secured to the brackets 13, swings downward into the luggage compartment 23, leaving an opening between the lateral tray portions 16 for passage of the window 10 to be lowered position within the compartment 23, Fig. 4, provided that the seat-back 20 is swung forward and out of the path of the forward edge of the window panel 10.

Pivoting of the seat-back 20 forward in unison with swingingrof the window 10 to and from the raised and lowered positions is accomplished by a fluid actuated linkage or operating mechanism connecting the window 10 and back 20 substantially in a plane extending longitudinally of the vehicle through one of the brackets 13. This mechanism includes a comparatively long rearwardly inclined link 24 pivotally connected near its rear end at 25 to a depending portion of one of the brackets 13 at a location below the pivotal axis of the shaft 17. A shorter forwardly inclined link 26 is pivotally connected near its forward end at 27 to a bracket 28 secured to the midportion of the back 20. The forward and rearward ends respectively of links 24 and 26 are pivotally connected at 29 and 30 to the ends of a pair of integral arms of an intermediate coupling member 31 which in turn is pivotally. connected at 32 to a fixed bracket 33 secured to the body A.. In order that the window 10 will swing downward upon rearward shifting of rod 24, the pivot 25 is located below and rearward of the dead center line connecting pivots 17 and 29. The pivot 32 is located at approximately the level of the pivot 27 and intermediate the ends of the link 24, preferably near the forward end of the latter. The shorter arm of the member 31, connecting the pivots 29 and 32, extends substantially horizontally forward from the pivot 32 to the pivot 29 when the window 10 is in the raised position, Fig. 2,

whereas the longer arm connecting the pivots 32 and 30 declines forward from the pivot 32 to the pivot 30 at approximately a 45 angle from the shorter arm.

Pivotally connected at 34 to the link 26 near the pivot -30is the upper end of a plunger rod 35 reciprocable within a fluid cylinder 36. The latter is pivotally-connected to the vehicle floor at 37 rearward of and adjacent the back 20 and extends upward approximately in parallelism therewith. The cylinder-36 is also suitably connected with a source of fluid, such as vacuum, compressed air or liquid under pressure, whereby the plunger 35 is selectively extended or retracted. Upon vertical extension of the plunger 35 from the position of Fig. 2,

the pivots 27, 30 and 32 are moved toward aposition of .wardly and below the strip 43.

I linear alignment, Fig. 3, causing the back 20 to swing forward and out of the path of swinging movement of the window 10. Simultaneously the pivot 29 is swung upward and rearward, shiftingthe link and rod 24 rearward. In consequence pivot 25 is swung rearward about the axis of the shaft 17, causing the upper portions of both brackets 13 and the connected window 10 and tray 15 to swing downward about the axis 17.

Upon continued vertical extension of plunger 35 beyond the position of dead center or linear alignmentof the pivots 27, 30 and 32, the back 20 is returned substantially to its normal or rest position, Fig. 4. Meanwhile the intermediate coupling 31 will have been rotated clockwise in the drawings slightly more than shifting rod 24 still further rearward to swing the window 10 and connected tray 15 to the lowered position within the compartment 23 and behind the seat-back 20. Upon the retraction or downward stroke of plunger 35, the reverse operation occurs. The seat back 20 is again swung forward to the position of Fig. 3 to provide clearance for the window 10 which is swung upward by the forward shifting of linkand rod 24. Again as the window 10 moves to the final raised position of Fig. 1, the pivot 30 moves below its position of alignment with the pivots 27. and 32 and the seat-back 20 is returned to its rest position with the edge 21 overlying and concealing the forward edge of the tray 15, which latter is likewise returned to its initial substantially horizontal position.

Similarly to the glass panel of the window 10, the edges of the lateral panels 14 are confined within armoured channel-like weather seal moldings 38, Fig. 5. The upright portions of the moldings 38, together with the edges of the roof structure B along the upper edge of the window 10 in the raised position, are formed to provide rabbeted portions 39 adapted to receive the portions of the'window moldings 12 along the lateral and swinging edges of the. window 10. The rabbeted portions 39 are alsoformedto retain a compressible sealing strip 40 of rubber-like material into which the window moldings 12 seat at'a weatherproof seal when the window 10 is in the closed or raised position. An exterior ornamental top molding 41 is suitably secured in position adjacent the upper edges of the panels 14 and the roof portions forming the rabbet 39 to conceal the same. The window 10 is suitably locked in the closed or raised position by a pair of. friction latches .42 pivoted on the interior of the roof 'B'adjacent the lateral upper edges of the window 10.

for forward and downward swinging.

The molding 12 at the lower or hinged edge of the window 10 tapers outward at 12a from the window panel and seats in a transverse cushioning and weather seal strip 43 of rubber-like material when the window 10 is in the raised position, Fig. 6. The strip 43 is supported by a transverse flange 44 of the body A which extends for- Interiorly, the strip 43 enlarges and extends downward around the forward edge of the flange 44 as a horizontal bolster 45. The latter extends transversely for at least the transverse width of the window 10 and conceals the gap between'the flange 44 and rear edge of the tray 15. A metallic ornamental channel molding 46. having a rear upper edge welded to the underside of the flange '44 extends transversely the length of the bolster 45 and forward partially around the underside thereof, both to conceal and support the same.

I claim: 4 '1. In a vehicle body having a seat, a rear window structure for said body and pivoted thereon to swing forward and downward from a raised position to a lowered position, a back for the seat normally within the path of swinging movement of said window structure .and being shiftable to a forward position out of said path, toggle means connecting said body and back for shifting the le ter. 19 .sm r v h rw rdro q $08519. mea

a en

-connectingthe *first toggle means and-window structure "for swinging the latter between {the raised and flowered positions ,in unison :With, shifting of. said back from said -path.

'2. "In a vehicle-body having a seat, a rear windowstruc- :turefor saidbody and pivotal to swingfforward and downward-from a raised position to.;a' lowered' position, a';back for-"the seat normally within'thepath of swinging movement' ofthe window. structure. and shi'ftable to ajforward position out of. saidpath, and means'for shifting the'back "to'an'd from theforward position in unison with swinging wardtfrom :a raisedpositionto a lowered position aback for the seat normally within the path of swingingmovementtof -the windowetructure-and shiftable to'a forward position out of said path, and means for swinging the back to and from the forward position in unison with swinging of the window between the raised and lowered positions comprising a bracket connected to said window adjacent the lower edge thereof, a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to said bracket at a location below the hinge axis of said window, a second connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to said back at a location above the hinge axis thereof, and an intermediate swinging member pivotally connected to the body, said member having one integral arm pivotally connected to the other end of the first rod and a second integral arm pivotally connected to the other end of the second rod.

4. In a vehicle body having a seat, a rear window structure hinged adjacent one edge to the body for swinging the opposite edge forward and downward from a raised position above said one edge to a lowered position below said one edge, a back for the seat having an upper portion normally within the forward portion of the path of swinging movement of said window structure and being pivotal about a hinged lower portion of the back to swing to and from a forward position out of said path, and means for shifting the back to and from the forward position in unison with swinging of the window structure between the raised and lowered positions comprising a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to said window structure, a second connecting rod pivotally connected at one end to said back, and an intermediate swinging member pivotally connected to the body, said member having one integral arm pivotally connected to the other end of the first rod and having a second integral arm pivotally connected to the other end of the second rod.

5. In a vehicle body having a seat, a rear window hinged adjacent one edge to the body for swinging the opposite edge forward and downward from a raised position above said one edge to a lowered position below said one edge, a back for the seat having an upper portion normally within the forward portion of the path of swinging movement of said window and being hinged at a lower portion to swing to and from a forward position out of said path, and means for swinging the back to and from the forward position in unison with swinging of the window between the raised and lowered positions comprising a bracket connected to said window adjacent the lower edge thereof, a connecting link pivotally connected at one end to said bracket at a location below the hinge axis of said window, a second connecting link pivotally connected at one end to said back at a location above the hinge axis thereof, and an intermediate swinging member pivotally connected to the body, said member h ving oneiin es alarmniyotally-conn ted to the other pa kag ay connected't and e end ng f rwardifrom said window toward said seat-back when the windowjis 'in h r is' i jpos t o an fil llgpivotal with said w n ow to extend downward behind sa d seat-back when the window isin the lowered po sjition,jand means connecting the window andseat back tomove the jlatter fforwardand Q I upon Sw nging of the window between'the raised and"l'owered positions.

"7. In a vehiqlebodyLhaving a'seat, a rear window for saidbody and pivoted'thereon to swing forward and downwardifrom a raised to ajlowered p'osition, aba'ck'for said seat normally at 'agrest pos'ition withinthepa'th of .swinging movement of ,said window and shiftable .to;a forward .position but of said,path,means connecting thewindow and back for shifting the'flatter to and from theforward position "in; "unison -with'swinging of the window "between the -raised and lowered positions, the back being at 'said rest position when 'the -win'dow is at either the raised or lowered position, anda packa'ge tray connected to and extending forward from said window toward said back when the window is in the raised position and being pivotal with the latter to extend downward behind said seat when the window is in the lowered position.

8. In a vehicle body having a seat, a rear window panel for said body and pivotal to swing forward and downward from a raised position to a lowered position, a back for the seat normally within the path of swinging movement of the window panel and shiftable to a forward position out of said path, means for swinging the back to and from the forward position in unison with swinging of the window panel between the raised and lowered positions comprising a link pivotally connected at one end to the lower edge of the window panel below the hinge axis thereof, a second link pivotally connected at one end to said back at a location above the hinge axis thereof, an intermediate swinging member pivotally connected to the body, said member having one arm pivotally connected to the other end of the first link and a second arm pivotally connected to the other end of the second link, and a package tray connected to and extending forward from said window panel toward said back when the window panel is in the raised position and being pivotal with the latter to extend downward behind said seat when the window panel is in the lowered position.

9. In a vehicle body having a seat, a rear window structure for said body and pivotal to swing forward and downward from a raised position to a lowered position, a back for the seat normally within the path of swinging movement of the window structure and shiftable to a forward position out of said path, means for shifting the back to and from the forward position in unison with swinging of the window structure between the raised and lowered positions comprising a connecting link pivotally connected at one end to said window structure, a second connecting link pivotally connected at one end to said back, and an intermediate swinging member pivotally connected to the body, said member having one arm pivotally connected to the other end of the first link and having a second arm pivotally connected to the other end of the second link, and fluid actuated means for actuating said coupling means.

10. In a vehicle body having a seat, a rear window hinged adjacent one edge of the body to permit the opposite edge to swing forward and downward from a raised position above said one edge to a lowered position below said one edge, a back for the seat having an upper portion normally within the forward portion of the path of swinging movement of said window structure and being pivotal to swing to and from a forward position out of said path, operating means for swinging the back to and from the forward position in unison with swinging of the window between the raised and lowered positions comprising a connecting link pivotally connected atone end to the window panel below the hinge axis thereof, a second connecting link pivotally connected at one end to said back at a location above the hinge axis thereof, an intermediate swinging member pivotally connected to the body, said member having one arm pivotally connected to the other end of the first link and a second arm pivotally connected to the other end of the second link, and fluid actuated means connected with said second link to actuate said operating means.

11. In a vehicle body structure having a rear portion containing a rear window opening, a rear window panel in said opening and pivoted adjacent its lower edge on said structure to swing forwardly from said rear portion j to an open position, a bracket secured to said window panel adjacent said lower edge and having a portion extending below said edge, a seat having a back portion normally within the path of swinging movement of said window panel and shiftable' from said path, and means connecting said portion of said bracket and back portion to shift the latter from said path upon swinging of the window panel to the open position. r

I unison with path,

12. A vehicle body structure having a top, said .top

having a rear window opening therein, a rear window panel pivoted adjacent its lower edge on said structure to swing forward and downward with respect to said top from a raised position to alowered position, a bracket secured to' said panel and having an extension below said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS- 2,376,949 Westrope May 29, 1945 2,580,487 Vigmostad Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 629,829 Germany May 13, 1936 464,270 Great Britain Apr. 14, 1937 326,211 Italy May 6, 1935 

